Mars terraforming, the idea of warming a cold planet to maintain human civilization is long a classic theme of science fiction. However, recent studies published in the journal science advances suggest that this plan may not be so fantastic.
Researchers found that the introduction of tiny particles into the atmosphere of Mars can increase the temperature of the planet by more than 10 °C in just a few months. This is enough to maintain liquid water. Although this will require about 2 million tons of particles per year, they can be made of materials available in Martian dust.
“Really new and innovative ideas for terraforming,” says Colin Makinnes, a space engineer from the University of Glasgow. “The gap between the current conditions on Mars and the possible suitability of the planet for life is less than we might think.”
Once the water flowed on the surface of Mars, but today its remains froze in polar ice caps and under the surface of the planet. With a thin atmosphere and weak sun, the average temperature on Mars is about -62 °C, which is much colder than on Earth. In order to make Mars suitable for life, a significant increase in temperature is required.
Researchers believe that they can use the same mechanism that causes global warming on Earth. “The main idea is to create an artificial greenhouse effect,” explains Saman Ansari, a graduate student of the North-West University and the leading author of the study. Scientists are looking for a substance that, being introduced into the atmosphere in large quantities, will be able to retain heat like water pair and carbon dioxide on Earth.
It was previously proposed to use chlorfthoralleroda, the same substances that destroy the ozone layer of the Earth and were previously used and previously used in aerosols. In another recent study, it was proposed to be placed on the surface of Mars plates from the Airgel Sillesham, transparent and light material, which would hold heat in Martian soil and blocked harmful ultraviolet radiation.
The main obstacle to both approaches is the costs: chlorfto-rounderods are rare on the surface of Mars, and air-ag